IRELAND IS to assist in the evacuation of 1,000 civilians by chartered ship from the besieged city of Misurata in western Libya.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore yesterday announced that the Government would fund, through its development arm Irish Aid, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to conduct the evacuation.
The organisation has carried out several such missions to rebel-held Misurata, which has been under intense bombardment from Muammer Gadafy’s forces for almost eight weeks.
The city, which is Libya’s third largest, is the only rebel stronghold in the west of the country. Last week the United Nations estimated that at least 20 children had been killed during the fighting.
Irish Aid is contributing €300,000 to fund the mission and another €200,000 to support the evacuees after the vessel docks in Benghazi, the eastern city which has become the de facto capital of the Libyan opposition.
Mr Gilmore said the Government felt a responsibility to act, given the deteriorating situation in Misurata. “Gadafy’s forces have agreed to allow ships into the port to evacuate civilians, and we have requested that the IOM undertake an emergency operation on our behalf,” he said.
“Irish Aid officials have been in close contact with them over the last few days, putting in place the necessary measures for the mission to take place.”
Minister of State for Overseas Development and Trade Jan O’Sullivan said the mission would help save lives: “The humanitarian situation in Libya is continuing to deteriorate, with thousands of people urgently needing assistance in camps along its borders as well as within the country itself.”
Meanwhile, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation has confirmed that a planned trade mission to Tripoli, which had been scheduled to take place in June, has been postponed.
A similar trade mission last year involved officials from Enterprise Ireland and representatives of 14 Irish firms pursuing business contracts in Libya, most of which were in the construction sector. Ireland and Libya agreed to establish a “joint economic commission” in Dublin, where officials could discuss areas of further co-operation.